OREANDA-NEWS. Chinese authorities have protested the statement by US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo about restricting freedom of speech in China because of the situation with reporters of the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal. This was announced on Wednesday at a briefing by the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China Zhao Lijian.

On February 19, the Chinese government decided to revoke the accreditation of three correspondents for The Wall Street Journal in Beijing due to the newspaper publishing an article by American professor Walter Russell Mead from Bard College under the heading "China is a real Asian patient", which the Chinese authorities considered offensive.

“While the Chinese people are struggling with the spread of a new type of coronavirus, Mr. Pompeo once again criticizes China,” Zhao Lijiang quotes the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. “We strongly protest against such actions”. He also added that “the publication of The Wall Street Journal’s offensive article has nothing to do with freedom of speech and the press”.

According to Zhao Lijiang, The Wall Street Journal admitted its mistake in publishing an article offensive to China, but did not respond to the demands of the Chinese side and did not apologize.